Linnets stop charge of Rams to take point

Five minutes followed in which several Ramsbottom crosses and corners failed to deliver a solid chance, defenders blocking and clearing, or ’keeper Emery gathering confidently.

Midway through the first half Rainford threatened after leaving Thompson and Lugsden in his wake to find Ryan Gibson just inside the box, but he was dispossessed by Tom Kennedy.

On 34 minutes, a header on halfway was missed, allowing Shanley to advance on the Rams’ penalty area, but again Lumsden got his head to the cross before Gibson, and cleared.

A minute later, Zac Aley collected the first of the game’s two yellow cards for kicking the ball away after his ‘unnatural position’ handball. Five minutes from the break, Paul Shanley won the ball out on the right touch line and fired a cross over the penalty spot. Zac Aley came in from wide left and achieved a perfect blend of accuracy and power to head past the reach of Stewart into the far right corner.

It was very reminiscent of his header that put Linnets clear of Pontefract Collieries a fortnight previously, although trickier this time, as he had to back-track from 12 yards out to 15 to get to it.

There were precious few Linnets chances after that.

United dominated possession, leaving the visitors to chase, harry and block, which they did repeatedly.

Many balls into the box, by and for Evangelinos and Gooden, were headed clear by Hinnigan, Wylie, Brown and Aley, or were caught or punched by Emery.

A rare second-half Runcorn break saw Shanley pulled away from a through ball by the arm, but the ref was OK with it, and the clearance put Rams back on the attack.

Eddie Moran chased to the by-line outside the edge of the six-yard box and pulled the ball back smartly, where Evangelinos latched on to it, giving Emery in the Runcorn goal no chance.

Linnets introduced Kurt Sherlock for Bellew with six minutes remaining, and despite a number of efforts to win the ball and get it forward to his fresh legs, opportunities were scarce.

In stoppage time, such an attempt by Aley to find Sherlock was intercepted, resulting in another Rams assault, and a 25-yard free-kick.

It led to an almost certain winner from six yards out, but a phenomenal point-blank save by Emery proved to be the final action of the game.